How to hire a senior research associate, research and development

How to hire a senior research associate, research and development, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior research associate, research and development hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a senior research associate, research and development job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior research associate, research and development
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a senior research associate, research and development do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a senior research associate, research and development, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A senior research associate, research and development's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior research associates, research and development from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of senior research associates, research and development.

   Type of Senior Research Associate, Research And Development	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Research Associate, Research And Development	Medical scientists conduct research aimed at improving overall human health. They often use clinical trials and other investigative methods to reach their findings.	$28-52
   Fellow	A fellow's responsibility will depend on the organization or industry where one belongs. However, most of the time, a fellow's duty will revolve around conducting research and analysis, presiding discussions and attending dialogues, handle lectures while complying with the guidelines or tasks set by supervisors, and assist in various projects and activities... Show more	$22-44
   Postdoctoral Scholar	A Postdoctoral Scholar is responsible for supporting an educational research group to conduct studies and gather relevant data to support study claims and scientific evidence. They review initial findings, perform field investigations, and interview the target respondents for data and statistical analysis... Show more	$19-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Cell Culture
   • Sops
   • GMP
   • Technical Reports
   • QC
   • Elisa
   • Assay Development
   • Cell Lines
   • CMC
   • FDA
   • Clinical Trials
   • DOE
   • Extraction
   • Lims

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Forge and manage collaborative relationships with DoD and academia.
   • Enter data in internal LIMS system.
   • Support drug substance process development and GMP manufacturing.
   • Partner with regulatory to ensure FDA specifications are met.
   • Co-Authore method qualification report that are submitted to the FDA.
   • Isolate DNA and RNA from blood, tissue and culture cells.

   More senior research associate, research and development duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the senior research associate, research and development job description is a good way to get more applicants. A senior research associate, research and development salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a senior research associate, research and development in Texas may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level senior research associate, research and development. Additionally, a senior research associate, research and development with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average senior research associate, research and development salary

   $80,872yearly

   $38.88 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior research associate, research and development salary

   $59,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average senior research associate, research and development salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$104,998	$50
   2	Oregon	$88,231	$42
   3	Connecticut	$87,435	$42
   4	Massachusetts	$82,944	$40
   5	North Carolina	$79,966	$38
   6	New York	$79,001	$38
   7	Washington	$78,503	$38
   8	Maryland	$78,434	$38
   9	Illinois	$73,805	$35
   10	Wisconsin	$71,703	$34
   11	Colorado	$68,729	$33
   12	Virginia	$66,023	$32
   13	Texas	$59,618	$29
   14	Utah	$49,431	$24

   Average senior research associate, research and development salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	SAS Institute	$110,147	$52.96	13
   2	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$107,644	$51.75	121
   3	Exact Sciences	$106,476	$51.19	3
   4	Natera	$102,740	$49.39	18
   5	Amgen	$98,638	$47.42	86
   6	ImmunoGen	$94,783	$45.57
   7	WestRock	$94,438	$45.40
   8	Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.	$91,832	$44.15	36
   9	Sanofi US	$91,327	$43.91	37
   10	Vertex Pharmaceuticals	$89,671	$43.11	11
   11	Sharp Decisions	$89,559	$43.06	4
   12	Gilead Sciences	$89,360	$42.96	67
   13	American Institutes for Research	$89,219	$42.89	35
   14	BioMarin	$87,288	$41.97	4
   15	Reckitt Benckiser	$86,611	$41.64	3
   16	Sutro Biopharma	$86,078	$41.38
   17	Teva Pharmaceuticals	$85,359	$41.04	2
   18	Kelly Services	$84,797	$40.77	51
   19	Henkel	$83,328	$40.06	55
   20	Moss Adams	$82,419	$39.62

4. Writing a senior research associate, research and development job description

   A good senior research associate, research and development job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a senior research associate, research and development job description:

   Senior research associate, research and development job description example

   A client of Sharp Decisions Inc. is looking to bring on a Senior Research Associate to be based in Santa Monica, CA.
   
   The candidate will be assisting in deep analytical characterization of cell therapy product. You will also be assisting in planning and executing laboratory studies, analyze experimental data and carefully document resultant information. You will participate in laboratory activities to support analytical and process development as well as the characterization of Kites T cell products.
   
   * Support process analytical testing and execute cell based assays to advance process and product understanding of cell therapy products Assist in data verification to ensure data integrity
   
   * Perform data analysis, data reporting, and further statistical analysis with advanced analysis software
   * Maintain, calibrate and operate analytical equipment
   * Assist in developing standard operating procedures and analytical test methods
   * Write, review and edit accurate technical documents
   * Provide user training on instruments, sample analysis, and cross-train analysts on analytical methods
   * Coordinates activities for members of project teams in the initiation and execution of laboratory experimentation
   * Other duties as assigned
   
   Qualifications
   
   Bachelors degree in biotechnology or related field required (or relevant experience) with 2+ years of experience in similar role in a laboratory, preferably at least 1 year of lab experience within the industry
   
   This position requires at least 1 year of experience with aseptic technique, cell culture, PCR, and ELISA Experience with other techniques in molecular biology is a plus Experience with other immunoassay technologies such as MSD or Luminex is a plus Previous experience with cell therapy products is a plus
   
   Ability to follow laboratory procedures with attention to detail and successfully execute experiments at the bench. Ability to think critically and demonstrate troubleshooting and problem solving skills Strong organizational and record keeping skills Comfortable in a fast-paced environment with minimal direction and able to adjust workload based upon changing priorities Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and willing to accept temporary responsibilities outside of initial job description While most of the schedule will be during a standard work-week, occasional weekend work will be required Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills Excellent skill in Microsoft Word, Excel, and data analysis

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find senior research associates, research and development for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your senior research associate, research and development job on Zippia to find and recruit senior research associate, research and development candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with senior research associate, research and development candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new senior research associate, research and development

   Once you have selected a candidate for the senior research associate, research and development position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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